Review Manly Folders: Comrade, Peak, Wasp. Fixed Blades: Patriot and Drugar, Made in Bulgaria

Here is a comparison shot, borrowed part of the one from Lubo and then opened up mine...here's a tip for those folks thinking they might want to take apart their Wasp...don't ;) she is a bugger to get back together if you completely disassemble it, and the pivot pin does have a flat spot on the very tip that has to go into the matching flat spot of the one liner so take great care as it can turn since the rest of the pivot pin is round. I am guessing that Manly has a nice fixture to get everything together...sadly, I don't :)

Mine is the top one, as mentioned before I did grind down the spine near the tip in order to bring the tip below the scale and I also ground in some jimping too.

Note there are some subtle differences between the spring as well as the location of the S90v engraving. Also the addition of a stop pin so if you inadvertently pressed down on the spine of the blade, the pin would prevent the blade from hitting the spine, nice touch.

The new one almost looks a bit more pointier than the old, but, could just be difference in angles of the photos.

Wasp by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
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Based on the reviews here, I ordered a Wasp S90v and received it last week.

It is a well made knife and certainly worth the price. I do have a slight burnishing mark in the blade, but not really an issue.

I don’t like the “ratcheting” action in opening and closing, though. I can see the purpose. But, in opening, it made me almost cut myself when it stopped and I tried to gain a better grip on it to open it all of the way out. In closing the blade, it does not hinder me at all.
 
The ratcheting action is an acquired taste for sure, not for everyone and on a small folder I can see it being a little bit of a nuisance, but then I am use to it from having the Comrade a long time ago, perhaps in the next iteration they may just have a half stop, but then it may be a 'trademark' action they are looking to capitalize on? Certainly different from any other knife I've own.

And mine, wicked sharp so I feel for you and can almost hear the draw of breath as you realized how close you came to having bone meet steel, I've only had that happen once, a small butterfly knife with a very rounded blade, I was perched on top of a moving machine in a glass factory, not even one of our machines, but until that one was running they couldn't get bottles through our machine so I was helping. I was trying to cut into some very hard plastic...while trying to keep my balance, the rounded part of the edge slid off of the plastic and into my index finger of my left hand. To the bone of course, I got down and the guy I was helping started talking about what to try next, I said I'm trying the emergency room as he noticed a crimson thread appear between each finger of my left hand. The doc said he had plenty of room to stitch the tendon back together, but it took many years before I could touch my palm with that finger tip!!!

G2
 
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I just received what appears to be a 2019 S90V Wasp. Quite a nice value for the price. The knife came with allen wrenches in the box (and a DMT fine pocket hone). It is a compact knife but a good size for my hand. I like the four stop action, though I admit it was a bit of a surprise on the first opening. The blade shape is attractive and it's insanely sharp out of the box. I keep opening this one up and testing the blade on my thumb pad, thinking, "is it really that sharp? Oh, yeah! It is!".
If I could nit-pick one thing, I would like to see a second metal part for the slot in the scale included for those of us who would like to remove the pocket clip. It certainly isn't a strike against the knife as everything else is very much to my liking, just a little extra icing on a very nice cake. If the clip isn't going to work for me, I'll follow your lead and make one. Still deciding.
Thanks, Gary, for bringing this one to my attention. Some of the best money I've ever spent on a knife. Now I am looking at purchasing a Patriot in the near future...
 
db_cruiser It sure a nice little knife. :thumbsup: I have gotten used to the 4 stops after a week or so it's much smoother now.
I purchased two at the beginning of the month when I ordered I asked for the clip plug which they sent with the knives.
I would think if you contact the dealer they would send one out for you.
 
Thanks for the heads up! I will look into that. I want to carry this one in the city, but the clip makes it a bit fiddly in my pocket and exposed pocket clips are asking for trouble from the police, as my friend found out the hard way. I could just take the clip off in the mean time, but it would be cleaner looking with the cap. It's such a nice looking knife.
 
DB_Cruiser said:
Thanks for the heads up! I will look into that. I want to carry this one in the city, but the clip makes it a bit fiddly in my pocket and exposed pocket clips are asking for trouble from the police, as my friend found out the hard way. I could just take the clip off in the mean time, but it would be cleaner looking with the cap. It's such a nice looking knife.
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I posted back on #429 that I made plugs when I took my clips off.
Lyubomir Trayanov from Manly USA posted that he will send out clip plugs if you ask with purchase or after purchase.
 
@Lyubomir Trayanov & Gary W. Graley Gary W. Graley

I Just wanted to say thank you to the both of you.
This Peak has been in my pocket everyday since I received it a little over a month ago. One month is a long time for me to go without switching knives, probably the longest I have continually carried a knife since I joined this forum.
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flatblackcapo flatblackcapo , can you tell us some of the adventures where you have used then Peak? I still have my Patriot in D2 in orange g10 which needs to be christened. My Wasp in Sandvik has been in my pocket for many a trip.
 
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cbach8tw said:
flatblackcapo flatblackcapo , can you tell us some of the adventures where you have used then Peak? I still have my Patriot in D2 in orange g10 which needs to be christened. My Wasp in Sandvik has been in my pocket for many a trip.
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No great adventures, I'm afraid. I work in a warehouse so typical work tasks include breaking down boxes and pallets ( plastic wrap, zip ties ) & preparing lunch ( slicing apples, cutting cheese, slicing meat ect. )
It did help me find another knife that I dropped in tall grass by carving a quick stake to flag the spot so I could come back with magnets.
I do plan on taking the Peak on a few snowshoe backpacking trips this winter. It deserves a vacation. :D

Now, put that Patriot to work! :thumbsup:
 
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I just got a Peak 2, the two handed opening model. It feels like a much more expensive knife! The lock is very solid, opens smoothly and I just can't find any flaws. It came very sharp too. I took the clip off and hang me, but to me this feels like a "modern traditional". I plan to smooth the G 10 a bit. This is actually quite classy knife for the price.

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